NEED HELP !! Windows 7 Backup/Restore does not detect images

Hi Guys


I frequently visit this forum and I know for sure somebody out here will have the answer for me.


Problem:
Today in the morning I tried to install a software which claimed to boost your network speed but it turned out to be a virus which as soon as I doubled clicked completely f***** up the system, Got a BSOD just as I double clicked it. Re-booted the system it comes till the login screen without any issues. As soon as I log in I get a BSOD.



Steps Taken to Resolve:

I have almost all of my data safe with me. Movies and Music are backed on my WD My Book Essential 2TB and I have multiple system image backups for the past six months (the recent one done on 16^th Feb) on my FreeAgent Go 320GB - done using windows backup and restore.

• 1. First tried getting into Safe Mode but after log in the system BSOD’s

• 2. From the Repair options (F8 during boot up) did a system restore using the latest system restore point but the problem persists.

• 3. Since I had the backup images I decided to go for a complete image restore. I plugged in my freeagent which has all the images but Windows does not recognize any of the images on it. Says there are no backup images present, no matter how many times you click refresh the images don’t show up. There is an option where you can choose to select the image by pressing on advanced. There you are presented with 2 options first select the image from a network and second install driver for the device. If you click this you can load the driver for your device…..I don’t get this option my device is already detected I can see it in the file open menu and I can also see the backup images. There is no way you can select the backup images.

• 4. Then I decided to go for a complete factory reset…. Thought that I would be able to access the image restore from inside Windows.

• 5. After the reset I can see the backup images in the restore option but it seems you can only restore files and folders from within Windows if you select the option for a complete image recovery, Windows re-starts the system and I am staring at the same problem as in point 3.

What kind of a stupid program is this….. you backed up your system using it but it won’t allow you to restore. I regret not using the Dell Data backup software that came along with my laptop.

But I need to get out of this mess for now ……. Has anyone faced this issue and knows what needs to be done to solve this. I have searched a lot of forums but have not come across any solution yet.



The backup images are stored in the drive in this fashion “Drive\PC name\backup file and dirs”
Currently I am copying all the backup files and directories to the root “drive\backup file and dirs”
Will let you know if this helps……


If anyone knows the solution PLEASE HELP !!!



Regards
Sid

 

If you are using the windows 7 default restore I've found that I've had to set ide mode in bios to complete the restore. Not sure if this helps, but I go to bios on the reboot or first boot of the CD and set IDE mode................

 

@TANWARE - not sure what you are suggesting... I am able to boot but when I choose the system image recovery option Windows is unable to detect the backup image on my external drive.

 

What I notice that may be missing here is that the images should have defaulted to a folder called WindowsImageBackup. So, your path should look like this:

drive:\WindowsImageBackup\name of pc\backup stuff blah blah blah

The Windows Recovery software cannot find the image if it's not in this folder.

 

I guess you have precious data on your HDD, otherwise you would have formatted already, won't you?

When you get the BSOD normally, you got an error with decimals, like:

error 0x00000000008 UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP

What is the code that you see? Once you find that out, you can search the solutions..
Here you can find a list with all the BSOD and the possible solutions:

Bug Check Codes (Windows Driver Kit)

 

@anseio - Yep thats what even I feel right now.... will do that and see how it goes

yukinok25 - the data was always save just dont want to go through the headache of installing all things again. I did a factory reset so the dump files are gone

 

The dump files are gone, but at least you can read the type of error on the BSOD, chances are that in the link I gave you, you can find some uselful tips..

 

I tried everything yesterday...... just could not get it to work. Decided to pull the plugs on trying to make it work and went for a clean install yesterday. Took me about 8 hrs to get back to where I was earlier (it helped that all my data was safe in external drives) I think my wife would have killed me if I would have lost all the vacation photos and videos
Today I have installed a trial version of Acronis True Image Home 2011. Looks like a very good product might just purchase.

Thanks for all the advice Guys

Cheers
Sid